Post by Strathmore Business School (SBS)

Empowerment of Women in Leadership in the Academic Sector: An Appeal for Comprehensive Change Following the successful launch of the Women’s Leadership in Academia Programme (WLAP) on 28 April 2026, a joint delegation from Strathmore University and University of Nairobi engaged in a high-level briefing with the Cabinet Secretary for Education at Jogoo House today. The meeting focused on presenting key findings, structural challenges, and proposed interventions aimed at addressing the persistent underrepresentation of women in senior academic leadership. The team led by Dr. Dr. Freshia Mugo - Waweru, together with Professor Kiriti of the University of Nairobi and other members of the WLAP Advisory Board such as Dr. Caesar J.Muriithi Mwangi , Mercy W., and JACKSON O., discussed the issue of gender empowerment in detail. One of the important points raised by Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba was: "We have a lot of policies and guidelines, but the problem still lies in the area of implementation." The WLAP study found out that whereas more women are now coming into academia, there is an alarming trend of very few women making it into positions of leadership, both nationally and internationally. In Kenya, for instance, less than 12% of all the vice chancellors/principals of universities/colleges are women. As stressed by Dr. Freshia Waweru-Mugo: "We must make sure we have a continuous pipeline right from undergraduate level through the masters level up to the PhDs, where we lose women." In addition, the Advisory Board underscored the significance of evidence-based reform. Mercy Wanjau emphasized the importance of having practical policies aligned to actions, whereas Dr. Caesar Mwangi emphasized that any change can only happen through deliberate inclusion and leadership commitment. Additionally, Professor Kiriti brought to light the ongoing leakages in the academic pipeline, whereby the number of women in academic positions decreases progressively. The collaboration represents a milestone towards implementing research findings into national action. It is evident that ensuring the advancement of women in leadership in academic institutions is not just an issue of equality, but also a developmental challenge for the nation. #WomenInLeadership #HigherEducation #GenderEquity #AcademicLeadership #WLAP Kellen Eileen Kariuki Dr. Freshia Mugo - Waweru David M. Caesar J.Muriithi Mwangi Vincent Ogutu Mumbi Wachira, PhD Strathmore University Dr. Tabitha Njuguna Elizabeth Gachenga @Dianah Chebet Joseph Mwangi Julliet Hinga Co-Impact